different between scold vs decry

English

Etymology

The noun is from Middle English scold(e), skald(e), first attested in the 12th or 13th century (as scold, scolde, skolde, skald). The verb is from Middle English scolden, first attested in the late 1300s. Most dictionaries derive the verb from the noun and say the noun is probably from Old Norse skald (“poet”) (cognate with Icelandic skáld (“poet, scop”)), as skalds sometimes wrote insulting poems, though another view is that the Norse and English words are cognate to each other and to Old High German skeldan, Old Dutch skeldan, all inherited from Proto-Germanic *skeldan? (“scold”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /sk??ld/, [sk???d]
• (US) IPA^(key): /sko?ld/
• Rhymes: -??ld

Noun

scold (plural scolds)

1. A person who habitually scolds, in particular a troublesome and angry woman.
   • c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Again?t venemous tongues enpoy?oned with ?claunder and fal?e detractions &c.:

     A ?claunderous tunge, a tunge of a ?kolde,
     Worketh more mi?chiefe than can be tolde;
     That, if I wi?t not to be controlde,
     Yet ?omwhat to ?ay I dare well be bolde,
     How ?ome delite for to lye, thycke and threfolde.

   • 1907, E.M. Forster, The Longest Journey, Part II, XVIII [Uniform ed., p. 196]:

     “Well, I won’t have it, and that’s enough.” She laughed, for her voice had a little been that of the professional scold.

Alternative forms

• scould, scolde (obsolete)

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:shrew

Related terms

• scold's bridle

Translations

Verb

scold (third-person singular simple present scolds, present participle scolding, simple past and past participle scolded)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To rebuke angrily.
   • 1813, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

     A week elapsed before she could see Elizabeth without scolding her —
2. (ornithology) Of birds, to make harsh vocalisations in aggression.
3. Of birds, to make vocalisations that resemble human scolding.
4. Misconstruction of scald

Derived terms

• outscold

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:criticize

Translations

References

Anagrams

• clods, clos'd, colds

English

Etymology

From Old French descrier (“to shout”), from des- (“out, away, off, down”) + crier (“to cry”); see cry.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d??k?a?/
• Rhymes: -a?

Verb

decry (third-person singular simple present decries, present participle decrying, simple past and past participle decried)

1. (transitive) To denounce as harmful.
   • 1970, Alvin Toffler, Future Shock, Bantam Books, pg. 99:

     All of us seem to need some totalistic relationships in our lives. But to decry the fact that we cannot have only such relationships is nonsense.

   • 1970, Alvin Toffler, Future Shock, Bantam Books, pg. 474:

     While decrying bureaucracy and demanding participatory democracy they, themselves, frequently attempt to manipulate the very group of workers, blacks or students on whose behalf they demand participation.

2. (transitive) To blame for ills.

Translations

References

• Chambers's Etymological Dictionary, 1896, p. 114
• decry in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• decry in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• decry at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• cedry, cyder